David Wilkerson, founder of Times Square Church in New York City and author of "The Vision" and "The Cross and the Switchblade" was killed yesterday in an automobile accident. Even though I had never personally met him, our family has read his books and received his messages for many years. I'm weeping like I have lost a personal friend. He had a humility and honesty that is so rare. If the Lord was dealing with him about some sin or shortcoming, he was very quick to reveal it in his daily and monthly messages-not hiding anything and truly grieving if he had hurt the heart of God in any way. He was God's-period. An encourager, but always with the caveat that we must walk worthy of our calling in righteousness and holiness as the Word proclaims over and over. So many "smiley" preachers today "encourage", but with no calling to repentance or true godliness. Brother Wilkerson always, always, always pointed to the Cross and what the Lord Jesus bought and paid for by His blood and suffering-and that we should never dishonor that by living a slothful or sinful life.
So many of his recent daily messages were about never giving up on our faith or on God's goodness and love, no matter how terribly dark our days seem-no matter how overwhelming our circumstances are. God never fails us or leaves us. He also warned two years ago (as well as over 35 years ago in "The Vision") to prepare for the days of hardship ahead. He never shirked in telling us what God was saying, no matter if it was hard to hear. He was a watchman on the wall.
The church has lost a strong pillar. Who is left to walk in such obedience? I can only think of a couple of people who are proclaiming the Gospel in a similar manner: Dr. Robert Thompson of Poway, CA and Ravi Zacharias. I'm sure there are more, but pitifully few. The great elder saints are leaving us one by one (Bro. Wurmbrand, Basilea Schlink, Corrie ten Boom) and I see no younger ones with the same anointing coming to take their places. Where are the Elisha's?
Our prayers are with Sister Wilkerson and the whole family, Pastor Carter Conlon, and Times Square Church. Stay strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Continue on, true to Christ and His Word. Shine as lights so that the whole body of Christ can be edified and encouraged. God bless all of you.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Did You See It?
Did it slip by your "radar" that America died completely last Friday? No funeral notice, no announcement in the paper, basically she just lay down in a back alley and quietly breathed her last. It came about as the President of (what exactly?) gave the order for our troops to obey a United Nations Security Council directive to attack Libya. No congressional approval or action of any kind. A few voices, including Ron Paul, spoke out as to the unconstitutionality of this act, but the Constitution died quite a while back anyway. So, what are we now?
Without the law of the land based upon the Constitution, with no Congress, and a Supreme Court that "does its own thing", we basically have a kingdom. Not a president, but a king ruling by executive order. True, he is nothing more than a mouthpiece for the one world order (via Wall Street), but he is who's seen and heard. God judges a nation based on its leadership. Since it seems we are now an empire with a single head, how do we fit into the end times "beast kingdom"? The book of Revelation states that the little horn king that arises at the end will take out three kings-are we one of those? I don't understand much of these prophecies, though they will become clear as events unfold-the Lord promised that we would have understanding as needed. All I can see is that we are totally fooling ourselves if we think we are still the United States of America as founded in 1776. Gone, dead, non existing, period.
How wonderful that as Christians we have always been members of the REALITY kingdom-the one and only true kingdom-the body of Christ. And that kingdom is soon to be physically present on this earth with the righteous king Jesus. Are we to fear the one world illuminists who want to destroy us? No. Are we to worry when our money is worthless and our possessions are gone? No. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He brings water out of rocks and causes ravens to bring food. His army is ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands (that's a LOT!!). Is our flesh weak-you bet. But our flesh needs to be brought under the subjection of the Holy Spirit by feeding on the Word-building ourselves up in the most holy faith- embedding a trust so firm and unshakable that we see nothing but Christ, and Him glorified. We have been chosen to be present at this time-and if we look at it as an honor then our perspective is totally changed. If we see that we can be the powerful end time witness spoken of throughout Scripture, with signs and wonders following, then we can come from a position of strength, not fear and weakness. But only the "virgins" with their lamps full of oil (unadulterated holiness and righteousness given by the Holy Spirit through our obedience) will be prepared for such a calling. The rest who have been lax, or believe they didn't need to prepare because they will be "zapped" out in some rapture, will fall away out of fear. Fear WILL trump faith every time because that is what our flesh automatically goes to. The path of least resistance will always be to knuckle under to those whom we feel are stronger than us and threaten our lives or livelihoods. These are decisions we have to make NOW, because there is no time left. World War Three, total economic restructuring under a world wide rule, the dissolving of nation states, all that we are used to will disappear. If we have our eyes fixed on the eternal kingdom then none of this will matter-we will welcome the "order out of chaos" that the LORD brings (not the illuminists). Everything that man creates will eventually lead to chaos and destruction, but the things that are currently not seen in the physical are eternal. "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2Corinthians 4:18.
Reality is Jesus Christ. Reality is His plan of history which is working out exactly as He has ordained. Reality is the coming kingdom. Look up, look up, look up! Our redemption (from this flesh, this system, this world) is drawing near!! Hallelujah!
Without the law of the land based upon the Constitution, with no Congress, and a Supreme Court that "does its own thing", we basically have a kingdom. Not a president, but a king ruling by executive order. True, he is nothing more than a mouthpiece for the one world order (via Wall Street), but he is who's seen and heard. God judges a nation based on its leadership. Since it seems we are now an empire with a single head, how do we fit into the end times "beast kingdom"? The book of Revelation states that the little horn king that arises at the end will take out three kings-are we one of those? I don't understand much of these prophecies, though they will become clear as events unfold-the Lord promised that we would have understanding as needed. All I can see is that we are totally fooling ourselves if we think we are still the United States of America as founded in 1776. Gone, dead, non existing, period.
How wonderful that as Christians we have always been members of the REALITY kingdom-the one and only true kingdom-the body of Christ. And that kingdom is soon to be physically present on this earth with the righteous king Jesus. Are we to fear the one world illuminists who want to destroy us? No. Are we to worry when our money is worthless and our possessions are gone? No. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He brings water out of rocks and causes ravens to bring food. His army is ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands (that's a LOT!!). Is our flesh weak-you bet. But our flesh needs to be brought under the subjection of the Holy Spirit by feeding on the Word-building ourselves up in the most holy faith- embedding a trust so firm and unshakable that we see nothing but Christ, and Him glorified. We have been chosen to be present at this time-and if we look at it as an honor then our perspective is totally changed. If we see that we can be the powerful end time witness spoken of throughout Scripture, with signs and wonders following, then we can come from a position of strength, not fear and weakness. But only the "virgins" with their lamps full of oil (unadulterated holiness and righteousness given by the Holy Spirit through our obedience) will be prepared for such a calling. The rest who have been lax, or believe they didn't need to prepare because they will be "zapped" out in some rapture, will fall away out of fear. Fear WILL trump faith every time because that is what our flesh automatically goes to. The path of least resistance will always be to knuckle under to those whom we feel are stronger than us and threaten our lives or livelihoods. These are decisions we have to make NOW, because there is no time left. World War Three, total economic restructuring under a world wide rule, the dissolving of nation states, all that we are used to will disappear. If we have our eyes fixed on the eternal kingdom then none of this will matter-we will welcome the "order out of chaos" that the LORD brings (not the illuminists). Everything that man creates will eventually lead to chaos and destruction, but the things that are currently not seen in the physical are eternal. "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2Corinthians 4:18.
Reality is Jesus Christ. Reality is His plan of history which is working out exactly as He has ordained. Reality is the coming kingdom. Look up, look up, look up! Our redemption (from this flesh, this system, this world) is drawing near!! Hallelujah!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Torah for Christians???
We have a couple sets of friends who are Christians and are convinced that believers today should be following the Torah (Jewish Law). They claim that Jesus never said we were to quit its observation-after all He was a Torah follower. I've seen some "messianic" congregations spring up, even a couple in our small community. But I was very surprised a few days ago when I realized the true size of this movement. A link was posted on the internet by an end times writer who is quite well known in some circles saying he was heading to Albuquerque last weekend (I live near ABQ). As I went to the event's site, I saw that it was a three day seminar with a long list of speakers, several of which were teaching on this very subject-Christians should be following Torah. (Some of the other seminars were about end time prophecy and dancing as part of worship {don't get me started on THAT one}). And these seminars were being held all over the country!
OK, what is going on here? I understand that Jesus was Jewish, that much of the context for Scripture was based on the laws and customs passed down to Israel from God. I've even enjoyed putting out a menorah style light in December instead of the pagan "christmas tree". BUT, when one of these "friends" said that when we say the name "Jesus" we are really calling upon a pagan god (like Zeus or something) and that we really aren't Christians if we ignore Torah-well, that's about the limit! Immediately I saw the hand of satan coming in to divide under the guise of "religious fervor". Reminds me of the Apostle Paul who thought he was doing God a favor by killing and imprisoning the early Jewish Christians because of their following what he felt was an heretical sect that defiled Torah. At the very least, there seems to be a slight air of superiority by those practicing such beliefs over us "law-less" ones. I looked on one of the speaker's web sites to see his explanation for all this, and the arguments were lame indeed-especially in trying to refute the VERY clear teachings of Paul against this very thing. And he never did explain exactly HOW MUCH of the Torah to follow. Sure, Sabbath observing is easy-but what about all the dietary laws, the laws for ritual cleansing after childbirth and menstruation, for animal sacrifices, etc, etc, etc. Some groups such as the Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses pick and choose what to observe-coming no where near following every "jot and tittle" that Jesus said would not pass away.
In the first Council of Jerusalem, many of these questions were posed by Gentiles who were being converted in droves by the preaching of Paul, Barnabas, Apollos, and others. They wanted to know what they should and should not follow of Torah. The Pharisees (remember Paul was once a Pharisee) wanted all to be circumcised and to follow the law of Moses. But Peter rose up and said the words that brought freedom to the Gentiles: "Ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they." (Acts 15:7-11) (Interesting to note that Peter said "we shall be saved, even as they"-putting salvation for the Jews firmly on the same footing as the Gentiles-by grace!) After Paul and Barnabas testified to the miracles wrought among the Gentiles, James arose and proclaimed what would be the final judgment of the Council: "Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from beginning of the world. {before the Law} Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day." (Acts 15:14-21) Both Peter and James called following the Law a burden and yoke unable to be borne. James said that the Law of Moses was being preached in synagogues and that was enough. The tabernacle that is being rebuilt is the Body of Christ-an eternal tabernacle of God's dwelling within man and with man. The fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles. He didn't say to go out and build an actual tabernacle, he said that the coming in of the Gentiles would be the missing part of the eternal tabernacle that would stand once again. Most of Israel rejected Jesus, but the tabernacle would be rebuilt in those who made Jesus Lord of their lives.
There are many more Scriptures,and most of the book of Galatians, that refute this false turning to laws that were completely fulfilled in Christ. Paul called such people foolish. But is can be much more deadly than that-it brings strife and contentions, which in turn lead to every evil work. (James 3:16) Again I say that I can see the hand of satan all over this. Yes, there are works consistent with righteousness, and we will be judged by our words and works. But the "works" aren't following shadowy symbols of what Jesus fulfilled on the cross-it's walking in love, joy, and peace; dealing in just measures (honest business practices), refraining from envying and strife, not back biting or gossiping, being humble rather than proud, and so on. It is a complete exchange of life! Trading in the sinful old Adam (law) for the new creation in Christ Jesus. How simple can it get? Yet simplicity seems to be a stumbling block for those who want to follow a million rules and regulations.
Another point is about the word "Jesus". If this is truly some vulgarization of a heathen god, why do demons run at this Name? Yes, the English word "Jesus" has sent literal demons fleeing, healed the sick, raised the dead. I'm sorry, but very few ever said "Yeshua"when performing these God given miracles. How about the word "Lord"? Or "Christ"? If we are all to speak Hebrew before anything can be done right, then we are all lost indeed. (Hmmm, did the Council of Jerusalem require the Gentiles to take Hebrew lessons? Oh wait, "Yeshua" spoke Aramaic-not true "Hebrew"-my, my.)
Anyway, you can see how sadly ridiculous all of this is. Following rabbit trails in the name of being more "holy" than the run of the mill Christian. Another divided front for the world to laugh at while they go to hell. Another false doctrine to get our eyes off the Savior and His redeeming work in our lives and to get them on our own "whiteness". Jesus, how it must grieve You! The days of extreme demonic attack and darkness are here NOW! Get your house in order! These things will destroy you in the end if you don't repent and return to your first love. God wash us all clean of the filthiness of the flesh and the uplifting of ourselves above Your Word. Amen
OK, what is going on here? I understand that Jesus was Jewish, that much of the context for Scripture was based on the laws and customs passed down to Israel from God. I've even enjoyed putting out a menorah style light in December instead of the pagan "christmas tree". BUT, when one of these "friends" said that when we say the name "Jesus" we are really calling upon a pagan god (like Zeus or something) and that we really aren't Christians if we ignore Torah-well, that's about the limit! Immediately I saw the hand of satan coming in to divide under the guise of "religious fervor". Reminds me of the Apostle Paul who thought he was doing God a favor by killing and imprisoning the early Jewish Christians because of their following what he felt was an heretical sect that defiled Torah. At the very least, there seems to be a slight air of superiority by those practicing such beliefs over us "law-less" ones. I looked on one of the speaker's web sites to see his explanation for all this, and the arguments were lame indeed-especially in trying to refute the VERY clear teachings of Paul against this very thing. And he never did explain exactly HOW MUCH of the Torah to follow. Sure, Sabbath observing is easy-but what about all the dietary laws, the laws for ritual cleansing after childbirth and menstruation, for animal sacrifices, etc, etc, etc. Some groups such as the Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses pick and choose what to observe-coming no where near following every "jot and tittle" that Jesus said would not pass away.
In the first Council of Jerusalem, many of these questions were posed by Gentiles who were being converted in droves by the preaching of Paul, Barnabas, Apollos, and others. They wanted to know what they should and should not follow of Torah. The Pharisees (remember Paul was once a Pharisee) wanted all to be circumcised and to follow the law of Moses. But Peter rose up and said the words that brought freedom to the Gentiles: "Ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they." (Acts 15:7-11) (Interesting to note that Peter said "we shall be saved, even as they"-putting salvation for the Jews firmly on the same footing as the Gentiles-by grace!) After Paul and Barnabas testified to the miracles wrought among the Gentiles, James arose and proclaimed what would be the final judgment of the Council: "Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from beginning of the world. {before the Law} Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day." (Acts 15:14-21) Both Peter and James called following the Law a burden and yoke unable to be borne. James said that the Law of Moses was being preached in synagogues and that was enough. The tabernacle that is being rebuilt is the Body of Christ-an eternal tabernacle of God's dwelling within man and with man. The fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles. He didn't say to go out and build an actual tabernacle, he said that the coming in of the Gentiles would be the missing part of the eternal tabernacle that would stand once again. Most of Israel rejected Jesus, but the tabernacle would be rebuilt in those who made Jesus Lord of their lives.
There are many more Scriptures,and most of the book of Galatians, that refute this false turning to laws that were completely fulfilled in Christ. Paul called such people foolish. But is can be much more deadly than that-it brings strife and contentions, which in turn lead to every evil work. (James 3:16) Again I say that I can see the hand of satan all over this. Yes, there are works consistent with righteousness, and we will be judged by our words and works. But the "works" aren't following shadowy symbols of what Jesus fulfilled on the cross-it's walking in love, joy, and peace; dealing in just measures (honest business practices), refraining from envying and strife, not back biting or gossiping, being humble rather than proud, and so on. It is a complete exchange of life! Trading in the sinful old Adam (law) for the new creation in Christ Jesus. How simple can it get? Yet simplicity seems to be a stumbling block for those who want to follow a million rules and regulations.
Another point is about the word "Jesus". If this is truly some vulgarization of a heathen god, why do demons run at this Name? Yes, the English word "Jesus" has sent literal demons fleeing, healed the sick, raised the dead. I'm sorry, but very few ever said "Yeshua"when performing these God given miracles. How about the word "Lord"? Or "Christ"? If we are all to speak Hebrew before anything can be done right, then we are all lost indeed. (Hmmm, did the Council of Jerusalem require the Gentiles to take Hebrew lessons? Oh wait, "Yeshua" spoke Aramaic-not true "Hebrew"-my, my.)
Anyway, you can see how sadly ridiculous all of this is. Following rabbit trails in the name of being more "holy" than the run of the mill Christian. Another divided front for the world to laugh at while they go to hell. Another false doctrine to get our eyes off the Savior and His redeeming work in our lives and to get them on our own "whiteness". Jesus, how it must grieve You! The days of extreme demonic attack and darkness are here NOW! Get your house in order! These things will destroy you in the end if you don't repent and return to your first love. God wash us all clean of the filthiness of the flesh and the uplifting of ourselves above Your Word. Amen
Friday, February 25, 2011
The Glory of God
I have been trying to slog through a viewing of the movie "Cleopatra". I had never seen this 4 hour "epic" from the early 60's. One thing I am enjoying are the sets-it gives you a feel for what the surroundings may have been like in ancient Rome and Alexandria. It is also sad to see the scheming of Cleo and Julius to elevate him as a complete dictator, thereby destroying the republic system of Roman government. Sounds like what we are going through in our country today.
But the main thought I have is in the showing of all the pomp and circumstance surrounding these earthly rulers. Huge parades, gala spectacles, masses of crowds, gold, palaces, etc, etc, etc. Seems pretty impressive-UNTIL you start reading in Scripture the descriptions of the throne room of God and what surrounds Him. It totally blows away anything that has ever been done on this earth. To even begin to comprehend what it looks like or sounds like! I half amusingly tell the Lord that I'm going to need "redeemed" ears to take in all the singing, praising, trumpets, thunderings, rushing water sounds, and so on. Just reading about it all overwhelms me. And the COLORS! Sapphire throne, emerald rainbow, crystal sea like transparent gold, the fruits on the eternal trees. How about the light-God shining, Christ shining, lightning emanating from the throne. And let's just think about the cherubim-I mean even trying to get my imagination around what THEY look like is almost too much. (By the way, did you know that the Strong's Concordance calls them IMAGINARY!!!!! How dare they.) Lifted by wheels within wheels that are covered with eyes, four faces each, four wings each, feet like brass calves feet, lifting the very throne of God. If the description in Ezekiel 28 is of Satan before his fall, then it is amazing what he gave up because of pride and sin. It appears he was the Cherub that was the supreme guardian of the throne of God and the leader of praise!
At any rate, the whole picture is so awe inspiring that our puny efforts here below are as drab as putty. The glory and majesty of who God IS reduces to ashes all that we TRY to portray with our pride and arrogance. And to be able to stand in the presence of all that someday. It's no wonder that God is working to remove all the dross and sin now, so that we won't run away screaming when we stand before the absolute purity and power of the One Who alone is worthy of such grandeur. Jesus said that one of the rewards for the Overcomers was to become a pillar in the temple of God. Now that doesn't mean we will be standing around all day supporting some roof!! It means that we will be part of the glorious "building", the temple made without hands, the family of redeemed who want nothing more than to be in the presence of God and His Son for eternity. With all that God is, it will take eternity for us to learn of Him. And who would want to be away from such eternal love?
I tried to find some artist's renderings of the visions portrayed in Scripture of heaven, from Ezekiel, Revelation and Daniel, but nothing even came close. Most were very New Age, or just plain ugly. The human mind is just so limited in trying to interpret these things I guess. But if we keep feeding our imaginations on such wonder, and well as the reality of who God and Jesus are, then it will help us in our trials and hard circumstances to know that we have an eternity of this greatness ahead if we will not faint and remain faithful. Feed on the pure food of Scripture and build yourself up in the Hope that we all have as the Redeemed of the Lamb!
But the main thought I have is in the showing of all the pomp and circumstance surrounding these earthly rulers. Huge parades, gala spectacles, masses of crowds, gold, palaces, etc, etc, etc. Seems pretty impressive-UNTIL you start reading in Scripture the descriptions of the throne room of God and what surrounds Him. It totally blows away anything that has ever been done on this earth. To even begin to comprehend what it looks like or sounds like! I half amusingly tell the Lord that I'm going to need "redeemed" ears to take in all the singing, praising, trumpets, thunderings, rushing water sounds, and so on. Just reading about it all overwhelms me. And the COLORS! Sapphire throne, emerald rainbow, crystal sea like transparent gold, the fruits on the eternal trees. How about the light-God shining, Christ shining, lightning emanating from the throne. And let's just think about the cherubim-I mean even trying to get my imagination around what THEY look like is almost too much. (By the way, did you know that the Strong's Concordance calls them IMAGINARY!!!!! How dare they.) Lifted by wheels within wheels that are covered with eyes, four faces each, four wings each, feet like brass calves feet, lifting the very throne of God. If the description in Ezekiel 28 is of Satan before his fall, then it is amazing what he gave up because of pride and sin. It appears he was the Cherub that was the supreme guardian of the throne of God and the leader of praise!
At any rate, the whole picture is so awe inspiring that our puny efforts here below are as drab as putty. The glory and majesty of who God IS reduces to ashes all that we TRY to portray with our pride and arrogance. And to be able to stand in the presence of all that someday. It's no wonder that God is working to remove all the dross and sin now, so that we won't run away screaming when we stand before the absolute purity and power of the One Who alone is worthy of such grandeur. Jesus said that one of the rewards for the Overcomers was to become a pillar in the temple of God. Now that doesn't mean we will be standing around all day supporting some roof!! It means that we will be part of the glorious "building", the temple made without hands, the family of redeemed who want nothing more than to be in the presence of God and His Son for eternity. With all that God is, it will take eternity for us to learn of Him. And who would want to be away from such eternal love?
I tried to find some artist's renderings of the visions portrayed in Scripture of heaven, from Ezekiel, Revelation and Daniel, but nothing even came close. Most were very New Age, or just plain ugly. The human mind is just so limited in trying to interpret these things I guess. But if we keep feeding our imaginations on such wonder, and well as the reality of who God and Jesus are, then it will help us in our trials and hard circumstances to know that we have an eternity of this greatness ahead if we will not faint and remain faithful. Feed on the pure food of Scripture and build yourself up in the Hope that we all have as the Redeemed of the Lamb!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
The Days of Noah
So much is happening in the world each day! Prophecies from Scripture about the end times are being fulfilled. The seals on the scroll in Revelation are being pealed away. War, religious deception, famine, martyrdom, earthquakes. HUGE amount of unrest in the Middle East. We get so "Ameri-centric", and often forget that Israel is the bell weather of Scripture and all history. As Mubarak prepares to leave Egypt, and the former head of Egypt's secret police is poised to take over, I wonder what it bodes for Israel. I have no good feeling about what is ahead. It SEEMS like the movement there is to have more freedom and democracy, but can it truly happen in an Islam dominated country? The Christians there have been persecuted for generations. Will that change? There are reports of turmoil in Jordan, Yemen, and even Syria. To what will all these events lead?
Concerning famine, there are headlines every day of food prices going up and up. China has had persistent drought in some of its provinces. Australia has had floods, cyclones, wildfires, and now locusts attacking crops. Russia had such devastating wildfires last summer that it suspended all exports of wheat. Since food commodities are so internationally linked now, it doesn't matter so much where we stand in America as far as grain supplies go, our prices are based on international circumstances. Today a headline said our corn reserves are very low. Everything points to famine knocking on our doors. Lindsay Williams and others have said that we will have food on the shelves but the dollar will be so severely devalued that we won't be able to afford to buy it. (Of course a day or two of food riots will clear the shelves.)
Joe Bastardi, one of the head meteorologists for AccuWeather.com, is so bumfuzzled by the current weather patterns that he figures we are in for much cooler than formerly predicted winters. He really cannot understand what is happening. He links it somewhat to what the sun is doing-NASA has had to revise down its sunspot activity predictions-things are staying way too quiet. And you have probably heard that the magnetic north pole is galloping toward Russia at such a pace that many are saying a complete magnetic reversal of the north and south poles is imminent. Perhaps by March 15th even! A reversal could open up our atmosphere to deadly UV and other cosmic rays-increasing skin cancers, etc.
With so much information crashing down around our eyes and ears, it is rather remarkable that the Lord said in Matthew 24 that the end of this age would be like the time of Noah. NOT because of all the wickedness and violence, but because things were going on just like "normal"-weddings, feastings, family routines. The people were absolutely CLUELESS until the flood came and carried them away. Now Noah had preached to the people for many, many years-both verbally and by building a big boat right in the middle of dry land as a testimony of his belief that what God said was actually going to happen. He was mocked, laughed at, derided. HMMMM, sounds familiar. How ironic that on the one hand the Bible says that men's hearts are going to fail them for fear, and yet they also continue on with their heads buried in the sand and lose themselves in the everyday routines of life to the point of completely missing the warnings of God's impending judgment. Of course, how many of our so-called pastors are preaching a Noah-like message today? The word "judgment" seems to have been lost from the Christian vocabulary. Maybe it will be more of the complacent Christians that will be like those in the days of Noah-resting in a false pre-trib Rapture belief-thinking that nothing of the "flood" will come near them or touch the lives of material comfort they have built up. What groanings will there be and pounding on the doors of the "Ark" when those whose lamps are full of oil and ready for the bridegroom's return have already been taken to a place of safety (here on the earth), and those whose lamps are empty cannot go in? Perhaps I'm mixing Scriptural metaphors, but the idea cannot be plainer. Psalm 91 promises protection to those who are dwelling in the "secret place of the Most High". That protection is in the midst of chaos and destruction here on the earth! And that secret place is complete rest and trust in the God and Savior that we have come to know through prayer and reliance on Him NOW. How do we reach that secret place?
Isaiah 58: 13-14 speaks of the Sabbath. Now there is a lot of controversy among some Christians today about whether we should go to church on Saturday instead of Sunday, whether we should follow Old Covenant laws concerning the Sabbath, etc, blah, blah, blah. It makes my head ache actually. But here it explains what the Sabbath really means TO GOD: "If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day: and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it." It's not the day of the week that's the issue, but the total giving of ourselves to the pleasure of God. Not going our way, but God's way. It's the "sabbath rest" spoken of so many times. And God said He would cause us to ride on the high places of the earth-above the storms and floods and catastrophes. If that means in an actual place of physical separation as mentioned in Rev. 12:6, or smack dab in the midst of nuclear disaster, God's promises are "YES" and "AMEN" if we have been dwelling in the secret place. Let us not be complacent, or so overwhelmed by all that we are seeing and hearing that we cover our heads and retreat into our own place of comfort-let us run with rejoicing the race that is set before us. God put us here NOW for a reason, and He didn't mean for us to proceed whimpering and quivering with fear. He meant for us to face the enemy and hard circumstances in the power of HIS might and with HIS armor. I want to be like the faithful saints of old who knew their God and did exploits. To be like the two witnesses in Revelation who meet every weapon formed against them with the miraculous power of God. Jesus promised that we can do greater works than even He did. That is almost too much to get our minds around, but when is something like that needed more than now? I pray there will be men of God raised up to proclaim a word like Noah and to warn of the wrath to come. To be holy men of boldness. And as women to be in the place of help that God wants for us and to be able to give of ourselves without reservation. Look UP! Our redemption draws near!!
Concerning famine, there are headlines every day of food prices going up and up. China has had persistent drought in some of its provinces. Australia has had floods, cyclones, wildfires, and now locusts attacking crops. Russia had such devastating wildfires last summer that it suspended all exports of wheat. Since food commodities are so internationally linked now, it doesn't matter so much where we stand in America as far as grain supplies go, our prices are based on international circumstances. Today a headline said our corn reserves are very low. Everything points to famine knocking on our doors. Lindsay Williams and others have said that we will have food on the shelves but the dollar will be so severely devalued that we won't be able to afford to buy it. (Of course a day or two of food riots will clear the shelves.)
Joe Bastardi, one of the head meteorologists for AccuWeather.com, is so bumfuzzled by the current weather patterns that he figures we are in for much cooler than formerly predicted winters. He really cannot understand what is happening. He links it somewhat to what the sun is doing-NASA has had to revise down its sunspot activity predictions-things are staying way too quiet. And you have probably heard that the magnetic north pole is galloping toward Russia at such a pace that many are saying a complete magnetic reversal of the north and south poles is imminent. Perhaps by March 15th even! A reversal could open up our atmosphere to deadly UV and other cosmic rays-increasing skin cancers, etc.
With so much information crashing down around our eyes and ears, it is rather remarkable that the Lord said in Matthew 24 that the end of this age would be like the time of Noah. NOT because of all the wickedness and violence, but because things were going on just like "normal"-weddings, feastings, family routines. The people were absolutely CLUELESS until the flood came and carried them away. Now Noah had preached to the people for many, many years-both verbally and by building a big boat right in the middle of dry land as a testimony of his belief that what God said was actually going to happen. He was mocked, laughed at, derided. HMMMM, sounds familiar. How ironic that on the one hand the Bible says that men's hearts are going to fail them for fear, and yet they also continue on with their heads buried in the sand and lose themselves in the everyday routines of life to the point of completely missing the warnings of God's impending judgment. Of course, how many of our so-called pastors are preaching a Noah-like message today? The word "judgment" seems to have been lost from the Christian vocabulary. Maybe it will be more of the complacent Christians that will be like those in the days of Noah-resting in a false pre-trib Rapture belief-thinking that nothing of the "flood" will come near them or touch the lives of material comfort they have built up. What groanings will there be and pounding on the doors of the "Ark" when those whose lamps are full of oil and ready for the bridegroom's return have already been taken to a place of safety (here on the earth), and those whose lamps are empty cannot go in? Perhaps I'm mixing Scriptural metaphors, but the idea cannot be plainer. Psalm 91 promises protection to those who are dwelling in the "secret place of the Most High". That protection is in the midst of chaos and destruction here on the earth! And that secret place is complete rest and trust in the God and Savior that we have come to know through prayer and reliance on Him NOW. How do we reach that secret place?
Isaiah 58: 13-14 speaks of the Sabbath. Now there is a lot of controversy among some Christians today about whether we should go to church on Saturday instead of Sunday, whether we should follow Old Covenant laws concerning the Sabbath, etc, blah, blah, blah. It makes my head ache actually. But here it explains what the Sabbath really means TO GOD: "If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day: and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it." It's not the day of the week that's the issue, but the total giving of ourselves to the pleasure of God. Not going our way, but God's way. It's the "sabbath rest" spoken of so many times. And God said He would cause us to ride on the high places of the earth-above the storms and floods and catastrophes. If that means in an actual place of physical separation as mentioned in Rev. 12:6, or smack dab in the midst of nuclear disaster, God's promises are "YES" and "AMEN" if we have been dwelling in the secret place. Let us not be complacent, or so overwhelmed by all that we are seeing and hearing that we cover our heads and retreat into our own place of comfort-let us run with rejoicing the race that is set before us. God put us here NOW for a reason, and He didn't mean for us to proceed whimpering and quivering with fear. He meant for us to face the enemy and hard circumstances in the power of HIS might and with HIS armor. I want to be like the faithful saints of old who knew their God and did exploits. To be like the two witnesses in Revelation who meet every weapon formed against them with the miraculous power of God. Jesus promised that we can do greater works than even He did. That is almost too much to get our minds around, but when is something like that needed more than now? I pray there will be men of God raised up to proclaim a word like Noah and to warn of the wrath to come. To be holy men of boldness. And as women to be in the place of help that God wants for us and to be able to give of ourselves without reservation. Look UP! Our redemption draws near!!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Chrislam
This is one of my favorite books for many reasons. Just reading the above paragraph you can see so many correlations with what is happening in the church today. But what I want to specifically address is summarized in the picture at the top of the page. Did anyone say "nooooooooooo!" when you saw it? I did. My heart just wanted to melt with tears. Talk about a fulfillment of what Lewis wrote years ago. Yesterday I posted concerning the mixture that has come into the churches-a universalism of thought that negates the teaching of Scripture. And today this article appears. (Go to www.standeyo.com to find it.) Can there be any true common ground between "Aslan" and "Tash"? Between The Truth and darkness? Many people, including former president Bush, say that Islam and Christianity worship the same God. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Before Mohamed, the Arab people worshiped many gods, Allah being one of them. In his "vision" Mohamed was told to turn the people to his worship only. Now if he is one and the same God as Jehovah, then I would have to say that he is schizophrenic because on the one hand He says that Israel is his chosen people, and on the other hand He says they are no better than apes and are to be destroyed! Nope-doesn't work. But here we have a "christian" group of churches who say that in order to "love your neighbor" you have to have a relationship with that neighbor! Nope again. God's love is shed abroad in our hearts. Yes we are to love the sinner and do all we can to lead them to the cross, but have a RELATIONSHIP with them??? To the compromising churches it obviously means incorporating some of Islam's false beliefs in with their (very subjectivized) teachings of Scripture. Again, I blame many so-called evangelical churches with practicing the very same thing. Bring in the rock music so you can "reach" teens (which came from the very pit of hell itself); bring in New Age doctors to help your congregation lose weight; use worldly business models to make your congregation "relevant" and to attract hundreds of new attendees (and tithe payers-isn't it interesting that with all the changing of Scripture, most pastors still insist on that 10 percent!). So what's the big deal with incorporating another doctrine of demons within the church-Islam and Christ-sure why not. I wonder what John the Baptist would say, or Jesus Himself. Maybe something about "REPENT" or a "generation of vipers"! Jesus' harshest words were for the religious deceivers after all.
Yesterday I quoted from 2 Peter about God's seeming to tarry in His final judgment upon this world. It has been almost 2000 years since the resurrection. We haven't "seen" Christ in so long. So, like the Narnians, we have started to rely on our muddled thinking based upon humanism-we make God into our own image and according to our own fleshly wants. Forget about any kind of judgment for sins please. That is old fashioned and a God of "love" would surely never do anything that harsh! So we continue as unregenerate, sin filled messes-loving the sewer that we are in because we know no differently and like the smell ("We do, honestly, it's like roses!") Thank God for the remnant church who will rise up in the last days and is even now being prepared. Sharpening their swords, filling their lamps with oil, laying down everything of this life to follow the Lamb (Lion). They will fight for The Truth without compromise. Nothing will persuade them to defile the honor of their true King! Are we part of that remnant? Our world is also coming to an end, and the Millenial Kingdom is our next step- IF we have become part of that remnant. I want to be in it - how about you?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Tipping Points for God's Judgment
I remember many years ago, David Wilkerson mentioned that he felt the US had passed a tipping point of judgment with God when our space program launched us beyond the boundaries of earth and was named after pagan gods: Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo, etc. This was in the 1960's. In the same period of time, prayer (at least Christian prayer) was outlawed in the public school system. A few years later we passed Roe v Wade, allowing for the mass murder of the unborn. (Go to worldnetdaily.com today and click on Molotov Mitchell's commentary about MTV promoting abortion for teenagers.) As life for the most innocent became worthless in our eyes, it created a national searing of our consciences. Nothing and no one is sacred. Our movies and televisions became flooded with every type of perversion. An article today posed the question of what homosexual couples are to call each other-who is the "husband", who is the "wife"? Even some so called "conservative" political commentators are accepting of homosexuality.There are no longer any absolutes of morality based upon the Scriptures.
Perhaps one of the scariest things that is being done now under the auspices of "science" is the genetic manipulation of crops, animals, and people. This is hitting at the very fabric of creation. An assault by man trying to be God Himself. Homosexual couples can request that a child they are having by surrogacy can be "coded" to have a homosexual gene, therefore having that tendency when it is born. DARPA, the research arm of the American military, is trying to create a "super soldier"-a genetically modified human with abilities far beyond a normal person. The transhumanist movement supports "humanity 2.0"-man redone as it were, with the ability to eventually live forever in a new body with an improved brain. All by the "miracle" of genetic modification and/or cybernetics. Some crops are being developed that produce sterility in those who consume them- to be given to the poorest countries for population control.
Another scientific project is being conducted at CERN in Switzerland. This is a huge "collider" that moves atoms at almost the speed of light, trying to find the "god particle" that may have been present at the creation of the universe. Some connected with the project also feel they will be able to open portals into other dimensions and they have no idea what will "come through" if this is achieved. It is very interesting to note that outside the buildings of CERN is a large statue of Shiva, the Indian god of creation and destruction. Now, why is a pagan god standing before this so-called scientific endeavor? I thought science was supposed to debunk religion! This shows the smoke screen that has been presented all these years. Of course they don't want to disprove God-they want to replace Him! Just as satan declared, "I will ascend to the sides of the north, I will be like the most High".
Does this all sound like science fiction? One hundred and fifty years ago, people would not have believed that man could fly or drive in vehicles at over 100 miles per hour either. Things are happening at such an increased pace. Along with the technological "advances" have come the moral "regressions". Why?
I put the blame on the church. In the late 1800's a movement was started called "higher criticism", which sought to bring the Scriptures into the "modern" age with so called relevancy. These scholars, both in Europe and America, retranslated the Hebrew and Greek documents that were the basis of the King James Bible, making many erroneous changes. (See "New Age Bible Versions" by GA Riplinger. Chuck Missler also has good teachings on the basis of the KJV versus modern works.) The modern "bible" versions are based on these newer documents. It will shock you to learn that many of these scholars were spiritists, anti-semites, or homosexuals. The seeds of the universalism that is so prevalent in so-called evangelical churches today were sown over 100 years ago! If you have no firm foundation of Scripture, then you have no moral foundation either. Then any biblical teaching can have many shades of grey, and applied any way you choose. I have seen several articles about homosexual people who say there is no Scriptural basis for saying that it is a sin or wrong in any way. One Christian singer who was popular in the 90's-Ray Boltz
I titled this "Tipping Points for God's Judgment". In reviewing all these horrible things (I didn't even mention genocide, famine caused by greedy rulers, etc), I wonder at times when it is all going to end and Jesus is going to come and rule. But I also read in Scripture that God gives as much time as is necessary for repentance-until the last one comes to the Cross. Isaiah prophesied over 100 years before the Babylonian captivity of Judah. But he said the fullness of their idolatry and unrighteousness had been reached already. There are so many extenuating circumstances-so many lives involved in the events of the world, that only God Himself can know when the perfect time for judgment is to be. And it is wonderful to be able to trust Him so completely that we can know that timing truly IS perfect. "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness: but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9
As I said in an earlier post-if we judge ourselves NOW, then future judgments can't touch us. If we walk in actual righteousness and holiness, then there will be nothing of God's wrath that will have any part in us. What "blessed assurance" that truly is! Just as these horrible events are accelerating, I believe the time of the final judgments is coming quickly as well. I pray for God to give me His eyes to see things as He does. Not to have "cloudy" vision influenced by the culture around me. To see sharply, clearly, truly.
Perhaps one of the scariest things that is being done now under the auspices of "science" is the genetic manipulation of crops, animals, and people. This is hitting at the very fabric of creation. An assault by man trying to be God Himself. Homosexual couples can request that a child they are having by surrogacy can be "coded" to have a homosexual gene, therefore having that tendency when it is born. DARPA, the research arm of the American military, is trying to create a "super soldier"-a genetically modified human with abilities far beyond a normal person. The transhumanist movement supports "humanity 2.0"-man redone as it were, with the ability to eventually live forever in a new body with an improved brain. All by the "miracle" of genetic modification and/or cybernetics. Some crops are being developed that produce sterility in those who consume them- to be given to the poorest countries for population control.
Does this all sound like science fiction? One hundred and fifty years ago, people would not have believed that man could fly or drive in vehicles at over 100 miles per hour either. Things are happening at such an increased pace. Along with the technological "advances" have come the moral "regressions". Why?
I put the blame on the church. In the late 1800's a movement was started called "higher criticism", which sought to bring the Scriptures into the "modern" age with so called relevancy. These scholars, both in Europe and America, retranslated the Hebrew and Greek documents that were the basis of the King James Bible, making many erroneous changes. (See "New Age Bible Versions" by GA Riplinger. Chuck Missler also has good teachings on the basis of the KJV versus modern works.) The modern "bible" versions are based on these newer documents. It will shock you to learn that many of these scholars were spiritists, anti-semites, or homosexuals. The seeds of the universalism that is so prevalent in so-called evangelical churches today were sown over 100 years ago! If you have no firm foundation of Scripture, then you have no moral foundation either. Then any biblical teaching can have many shades of grey, and applied any way you choose. I have seen several articles about homosexual people who say there is no Scriptural basis for saying that it is a sin or wrong in any way. One Christian singer who was popular in the 90's-Ray Boltz
I titled this "Tipping Points for God's Judgment". In reviewing all these horrible things (I didn't even mention genocide, famine caused by greedy rulers, etc), I wonder at times when it is all going to end and Jesus is going to come and rule. But I also read in Scripture that God gives as much time as is necessary for repentance-until the last one comes to the Cross. Isaiah prophesied over 100 years before the Babylonian captivity of Judah. But he said the fullness of their idolatry and unrighteousness had been reached already. There are so many extenuating circumstances-so many lives involved in the events of the world, that only God Himself can know when the perfect time for judgment is to be. And it is wonderful to be able to trust Him so completely that we can know that timing truly IS perfect. "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness: but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9
As I said in an earlier post-if we judge ourselves NOW, then future judgments can't touch us. If we walk in actual righteousness and holiness, then there will be nothing of God's wrath that will have any part in us. What "blessed assurance" that truly is! Just as these horrible events are accelerating, I believe the time of the final judgments is coming quickly as well. I pray for God to give me His eyes to see things as He does. Not to have "cloudy" vision influenced by the culture around me. To see sharply, clearly, truly.
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